Photographic camera

ABSTRACT

A photographic camera system, which includes an IC card including a readable-writable semiconductor memory, a circuit for communicating with a peripheral to which the IC card is attached and a terminal for communication. The photographic camera system also includes a camera including an attaching portion for detachably attaching the IC card and circuitry for writing into the IC card information obtained in connection with a photographing operation, whereby the information stored in the IC card may be read out from the IC card by the peripheral, after detaching the IC card from the camera, to be used during the process of printing the film.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 161,468, filedFebruary 26, 1988, now abandoned, which is a divisional application ofapplication Ser. No. 021,659, filed March 4, 1987, now U.S. Pat. No.4,728,978.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a photographic camera capable ofrecording photographic information or development information such as oftrimming.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

There have been disclosed photographic cameras or accessories capable ofrecording on a film exposure data including a shutter speed or anaperture value, or photographic information including a date, a time, afilm serial reference number and data about a photographed object (e.g.Japanese patent application laid open under No. 51-84632).

Also, there have been disclosed cameras recording on the film trimminginformation at a time of photographing whereby a trimming-printing iscarried out based on this information (e.g. Japanese patent applicationlaid open under No. 54-26721). Further, there has been disclosed adevice with which a data mark corresponding to particular data to beimprinted is imprinted at an edge portion of the film outwardly of aframe and this data mark is converted into a character and then thischaracter is imprinted onto printing paper at a laboratory (Japanesepatent applicatin laid open under No. 60-260929).

However, the conventional photographic cameras of the above-describedconstructions have problems to be described hereinafter:

(a) Since the photographic information or the development information isimprinted in the film per se, there is a problem of space limit aboutrecording volume and kinds of information. That is to say, kinds ofinformation to be recorded in the film need be pre-selected.

(b) It is expected in future that the volume and kinds of photographicinformation or the development information which a user wishes to recordwill ever increase, and the conventional methods will be inadequate tocope with this trend.

(c) Also, since the above information is recorded in the film per se,the information is available for the user only after the development ofthe film. This is particularly inconvenient with respect to thephotographic information.

Further, as for the development information, with increasingautomatization of processes at a photo processing shop or at adeveloping laboratory, there has been demanded a method capable ofaccurately communicating the recorded development information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to overcome theproblems of the prior art and to realize recording of great volume andkinds of information and also accurate and reliable communicationthereof.

In order to achieve this object, a photographic camera system accordingto the present invention includes an IC card including areadable-writable semiconductor memory, a circuit for communicating witha peripheral to which the IC card is attached and a terminal forcommunication. The photographic camera system also includes a cameraincluding an attaching portion for detachably attaching the IC card andmeans for writing into the IC card information obtained in connectionwith a photographing operation, whereby the information stored in the ICcard may be read out from the IC card by the peripheral after detachingthe IC card from the camera to be used during the process of printingthe film.

It is to be noted here that the data to be communicated between thecamera and the IC card comprise photographic information and/ordevelopment information.

More particularly, the photographic information here includes at leastone or more or all of the followings: color temperature information,exposure reference information, information such as dates and time, atime value Tv (shutter speed), an aperture value Av, an object luminancevalue Bv, information indicating a use or non-use of a flash device,exposure information such as an exposure adjustment, a number of timesof photographing (an accummulated number of times of shutter releaseoperations of the camera), a type of camera, a type of film, a type offilter, a size of the photographed object.

The development information here includes at least one of thefollowings: trimming information, the color temperature information,information concerning a film size, a frame number of the film, a numberof prints, a size of print, necessities of high speed development,producing a slide(s) and of special treatment, information concerningthe date and the time.

The IC card used as the memory means in the photographic cameraaccording to the present invention is advantegeous in that;

(1) The card may have a sufficiently large memory capacity with littledata storing space limit compared with the film-data-imprinting type,and the card may record great volume and kinds of photographic and/orlaboratory information.

(2) The card, being thin, is easy to attach at the back lid.

(3) In comparison with a magnetic disk system, the card is advantageousin space requirement since a mechanical drive device is not necessary.

(4) Access to information (writing-in and reading-out of information)may be executed very speedily.

(5) The card is superior to other systems in its adaptability for greatvariety of uses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a is a plan view showing an outer configuration of a photographiccamera related to the present invention,

FIG. 1b is a back view showing the same,

FIG. 2a is a front view of a back lid of the photographic camera of thepresent invention,

FIG. 2b is a sectional view taken along line 2b--2b of FIG. 2a,

FIG. 3 is block circuit diagram illustrating a whole system of thephotographic camera of the present invention,

FIG. 4 is a block circuit diagram showing an inner construction of an ICcard,

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating exchanges of signals executedbetween a camera body and the IC card,

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart illustrating functions of amicrocomputer housed in the camera body,

FIGS. 7a and 7b are broken front views of an exposed film,

FIG. 8 is a process descriptive view illustrating flows of the IC cardand the film among a user, a photo processing shop and a laboratory, and

FIG. 9 is a process descriptive view illustrating alternate flows of theIC card.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be particularlydescribed hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1a and 1b respectively are a plan view and a back view showing anouter configuration of a photographic camera related to one preferredembodiment of the present invention.

Referring to reference marks and numerals in FIG. 1a, `A` stands for thephotographic camera, 1 for a camera body, 2 for a shutter-releasebutton, 3 for a light intake window, 4 for a group of setting switchesfor setting various information and 5 stands for a display section fordisplaying the various information, respectively.

The light intake window 3, constituted by a milky white plate, includesat a lower portion thereof a light source color measuring sensor. Thegroup of setting switches 4 include switches for setting variousinformation such as a time value (shutter speed) Tv, an aperture valueAv, a film speed value Sv (ISO), an exposure mode, a trimming, a drivemode, an exposure reference and the like and also includes a ± switchfor increment and decrement operations needed for the setting. Thedisplay section 5 includes at a rear region thereof (a lower region inthe figure) a portion 5a for displaying whether an IC card is attachedor not and the display section 5 includes at a forward region thereof(an upper region in the figure) a portion 5b for displaying the variousphotographic information, the display portion 5a adapted to illuminateto provide a warning in case the IC card is not attached.

Referring to reference marks and numerals in FIG. 1b, 6 stands for aviewfinder, 7 for a film cartridge, `F` for a film, 9 for a spool, 10stands for a terminal for transmitting signals between a back lid andthe camera body, 11 for an imager frame and 12 stands for a lightemitting diode for imprinting an IC card attaching mark.

FIGS. 2a and 2b are a front view showing a back lid of the datarecording photographic camera and a section view taken long line 2b--2bin FIG. 2a, respectively.

Referring to reference marks and numerals in FIGS. 2a and 2b, 13 standsfor the back lid detachably attached to the camera body 1, 14 for a baseplate, 15 for a terminal with the IC card `B`, 16 for an IC cardpressing plate, 17 for a film pressure plate formed integratedly withthe IC card pressing plate 16, 18 for a guide bar for guiding forwardand backward transportation of the IC card pressing plate 16, 19 for aspring attached about the guide bar 18 and adapted for urging the ICcard pressing plate 16 in a direction away from the back lid 13, 20 fora connector pin for the terminal 10 of the camera body 1 and a referencenumeral 21 stands for a spring for urging the connector pin 20 in adirection away from the back lid 13. On the base plate 14, the terminal15 and the connector pin 20 are electrically connected to each other.

A portion between the base plate 14 and the IC card pressing plate 16constitutes an IC card attaching section X1. When the IC card `B` isinserted from above this section X1 and then the back lid 13 is closed,the film pressure plate 17 is urged against the camera body 1 againstthe urging force of the spring 19, whereby the IC card pressing plate 16presses the IC card `B` rightwardly in FIG. 2B and the IC card `B` comesinto an electrical contact with the terminal 15. Concurrently therewith,the connector pin 20 comes into contact with the terminal 10 of thecamera body 1 and becomes urged by an urging force of the spring 21thereagainst, whereby the IC card `B` and the camera body 1 come intoelectrical contact with each other.

FIG. 3 is a block circuit diagram showing the whole system of thephotographic camera.

Referring to the same figure, a portion surrounded by a chain line 22denotes an inside of the camera body 1. A reference mark MC denotes amicrocomputer and a mark LM denotes a light measuring section, whichmeasures an object luminance and a light source color and then outputsas a digital signal light and color measurement data to themicrocomputer MC. A reference mark EC denotes an exposure controlsection, which controls a diaphragm aperture and a shutter speed basedon the values Tv and Av obtained by the microcomputer MC. A referencemark WC denotes a film winding-up control section, which controls amotor (not shown) for winding-up and rewinding the film `F` and forcocking various mechanisms such as the shutter and mirror. A referencemark DS denotes a display section for displaying the variousphotographic information. This display section DS corresponds to thedisplay section 5 in FIG. 1a. A reference mark PR denotes a markimprinting section for referring the film F to the IC card `B`.

A reference mark SA denotes a group of sequence switches carrying out,based on the condition of the camera detected by the microcomputer MC,sequential controls such as a shutter release--an exposure--a filmwinding-up--a film rewinding, and so on. This group of sequence switchesincludes a shutter release switch, a switch for detecting a completionof the film winding-up operation and other switches. A reference mark SBdenotes a group of setting switches corresponding to the group ofsetting switches 4 in FIG. 1a. This group of setting switches SB includeswitches for setting a time value (shutter speed) and an aperture value,a switch for altering the exposure mode (e.g. shutter speed priorityexposure control mode, aperture priority exposure control mode), aswitch for setting trimming and exposure reference and other switches. Areference mark TM denotes a timer, a mark AF denotes an automaticfocusing control section for measuring distance or detecting a focusingcondition and for controlling a lens, a mark LS denotes a lensinformation output section provided in a lens for outputting lensinformation concerning photographing and automatic focusing operation, amark BA denotes a power source housed in the camera body 1 and adaptedfor supplying power to the microcomputer MC and to other blocks based oncontrol signals (not shown) from the microcomputer MC, a mark CL denotesa clock pulse generating section for outputting clock pulses, based onthe control signals (not shown) from the microcomputer MC, to themicrocomputer MC and to the IC card `B`, and a mark AC denotesaccessories such as an electronic flash device, a data imprintingdevice, a winder and the like.

The IC card `B` comprises an LSI-built-in plastic card, which innerconstruction is shown in FIG. 4.

The IC card `B` includes a microcomputer MC1 and a memory M constitutedby an electrically erasable programmable ROM (will be referred to asEEPROM hereinafter). The IC card `B` has six external terminals for theclock, data input and output, reset, power and for grounding and the ICcard `B` is connected to the camera body 1 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing bidirectional signal communicationsbetween the camera `A` and the IC card `B`.

Referring to the same figure, at step #101, the microcomputer MC housedin the camera body 1 resets the IC card `B`. At step #102, themicrocomputer MC1 receiving a reset signal executes an instruction`ANSWER TO RESET`, in which information needed for enabling themicromputer MC in the camera body 1 to judge predeterminedcharacteristics of the IC card `B` is output. This judgment of thecharacteristics of the IC card `B` includes, for example, judgments ofadaptabilities of power voltage, frequency and the like of the IC card`B` to the present camera system. At step #103, the microcomputer MC inthe camera body 1 inputs the information about the characteristics ofthe IC card `B` output from the microcomputer MC1 of the IC card `B`. Atstep #104, the microcomputer MC judges whether or not this IC card `B`is suited for the present camera system, more specifically, themicrocomputer MC diagnoses the adaptability, attaching conditions(un-attaching and erroneous attaching), failures and the like of the ICcard `B`. If the IC card `B` is judged to be normal, at step #105 aterminal code is output to the IC card `B`. This terminal code variesdepending on terminals such as the camera, a reader/writer at a photoprocessing shop, an automatic printer at a laboratory and a personalcomputer for home-use. Therefore, at step #106, the microcomputer MC1 ofthe IC card `B` judges based on the entered terminal code to whatterminal the IC card `B` has been attached and selects an accessiblearea in the memory `M`. The purpose of this selection is to preventunintentional changes in the data by restricting data accessible througha certain terminal.

At step #107, the microcomputer MC in the camera body 1 outputs to theIC card `B` information concerning contents of communication to becarried out, e.g. a kind and a direction of the communication, and atstep #108 the microcomputer MC1 of the IC card `B` inputs thisinformation and executes preparatory operations therefor. Thereafter, atsteps #109 and #110, the microcomputer MC of the camera body 1 and themicrocomputer MC1 of the IC card `B` communicate with each otherinformation for photographing, laboratory and the like. The variouskinds of information output from the camera body 1 are stored in thememory `M` of the IC card `B`. With completion of the data exchange, atstep #111 the microcomputer MC of the camera body 1 provides a controlsignal to stop the microcomputer MC1 of the IC card `B`, and then atstep #112 the microcomputer MC1 is stopped.

On the other hand, if it is judged at step #104 that the IC card `B` isnot normal, a warning display indicating unadaptability, un-attaching,erroneous attaching, failure of the IC card `B` is provided at thedisplay section DS in FIG. 3 and the process executes the job at step#111.

The same algorithm as described above is executed not only for theterminal of the camera, but also for other terminals the reader/writerat a photo processing shop, a developing device and a printing device ata laboratory, the personal computer for home-use and so on.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart illustrating functions of themicrocomputer MC of the camera body 1.

Referring to the same figure, the microcomputer MC is energized, forexample, by setting the power source BA to `ON` or by setting a lightmeasuring switch to `ON`. At step #1, statuses of the group of sequenceswitches SA are input. At step #2, it is judged whether or not awinding-up operation of the film `F` has been completed. If not, theprocess goes on to step #3 to keep winding-up the film `F` until itscompletion. With the completion, the process goes on to step #4 to judgewhether or not all the other switches except the winding-up completionswitch of the sequence switches are in normal states thereof, i.e.whether or not a photographic operation is possible. If not, the processgoes on to step #5 to stop the microcomputer MC. On the other hand, ifthe switches are judged to be normal states thereof, the process goes tostep #6 to provide a start signal to the light and color measuringsection LM, whereby light, color and focusing condition detectingoperations are started.

Next, at step #7, lens information is input from the lens informationoutput section LS. At step #8, accessory information is input from theaccessories AC. At step #9, the status of the setting switches SB areinput. At step #10, the information concerning the statuses of thesetting switches SB are processed. More particularly, it is judgedwhether or not any of the shutter speed, the aperture value, theexposure mode, the trimming setting, the exposure setting and the likehas been changed through the setting switches SB. If changed, a processcorresponding to this change is executed.

At step #11, information obtained as a result of the light, color andfocusing condition detecting operations is input. At step #12, based onthe information input at steps #7 through #11 exposure computation iscarried out to obtain data, e.g. a photographing Tv value, aphotographing Av value and so on, needed for exposure control, and atstep #13 the result of the computation is displayed at the displaysection DS. At step #14, the computed values and other informationneeded for the accessories AC are output to the accessories AC.

The microcomputer MC repeatedly executes the sequence from steps #4through #14 until a shutter release operation is carried out.

This sequence may be alternately programmed so as to be stopped unlessthe shutter release operation is carried out within a predetermined timeperiod or so as to be repeated only while the light measuring switch(not shown) is operated.

At step 15 following the step #14, it is judged whether or not theshutter release operation has been carried out. If not, the processreturns to step #4; whereas, if the operation has been carried out, themicrocomputer MC communicates with the microcomputer MC1 of the IC card`B` at step #17. This communication is carried out in accordance withthe data exchange sequence shown in FIG. 5, whereby the various kinds ofinformation output from the camera body 1 are stored in the memory `M`of the IC card `B`.

At step #18, it is judged whether or not the communication has beencarried out normally. If so, the process goes on to step #19 to imprintinto the film `F` a mark indicating that the present film `F` is thefilm for which predetermined information is stored in the memory `M` ofthe IC card `B`. More particularly, this imprinting operation is carriedout by illuminating a light-emitting diode at a mark imprinting sectionPR. And, the purpose of this mark imprinting operation is to distinguishfrom other films this film `F`, for which predetermined information,e.g. the trimming information, color temperature information, a framenumber, a number of printing, the exposure reference information, dates,time, various photography information, the laboratory information,information about a size of the object to be photographed, are stored inthe IC card `B`. This permits, when films are confused in the devices atthe laboratory, an operator to distinguish this particular film `F`,which information is stored in the IC card `B`, from the other films andto correspond the film `F` to this IC card `B`. This will be moreparticularly described below. After imprinting the mark, the processgoes on to step #20.

If it is judged at step #18 that the communication has not been carriedout normally, the step #19 is skipped over and the process goes on tostep #20. At step #20, an exposure control is started which controls theshutter, an aperture diaphragm and the like based on the data needed forthe exposure control including the photography Tv value and thephotography Av value obtained at step #12. At step #21, signalsindicating the execution of the shutter release operation are output tothe respective sections thereby to reset the same. At step #22, it iswaited until completion of the exposure control and then the processreturns to step #2 to wind-up the film `F` and to carry out increment ofa film frame counter (repeating step 2 and step #3) and then the abovejob is carried out again. In place of this repetition, it is to benoted, the process may be so varied as to stop the microcomputer MC whenthe light measuring switch (not shown) is not operated.

In the flow shown in FIG. 6, the data exchange between the microcomputerMC of the camera body 1 and the microcomputer MC1 of the IC card `B` iscarried out each time a shutter release operation occurs. This isbecause of the following reason: If the data exchange is carried outduring the light measuring operation, the data exceeds a write capacity(10⁴ to 10⁵) of the present EEPROM (the memory `M`). In the case of anIC card which does not use the EEPROM as the memory `M`, e.g. an IC cardincorporating a battery and a RAM, because of its sufficiently largewrite capacity, it is possible to carry out the data exchange betweenthe microcomputers MC and MC1 during the light measuring operation.Further, even with the IC card of the present invention, a communicationmay be executed for judging adaptability, attaching conditions, failuresand the like as described as step #103 of the flow chart in FIG. 5.

The trimming information, one of the laboratory information to be storedalong with other kinds of information from the microcomputer MC of thecamera body 1 into the memory `M` of the IC card `B`, will now beparticularly described with reference to the following table.

    ______________________________________                                        CODE       TRIMMING                                                           ______________________________________                                        000        no trimming                                                        001        a                                                                  010        b                                                                  011        no trimming + a + b                                                101        c                                                                  110        d                                                                  111        no trimming + c + d                                                ______________________________________                                    

The reference marks, a, b, c, d in the above table denote areas to beprinted with trimming. FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b show the areas a, b, c, d onthe film `F`.

The codes 011 and 111 designate successive trimming operations, in whicha plurality of prints having different trimming sizes are printed from asame negative. That is to say, if the code 011 is stored in the memory`M` of the IC card `B` as trimming information, this trimminginformation controls the printer in the printing operation to providethree kinds of prints, a print having no trimming, a print having thetrimming area `a` and a print having the trimming area `b`,successively.

FIG. 7a shows a mark m1 and FIG. 7b shows a mark m2 which indicate thepresent film is identified as the film for which predeterminedinformation is stored in the memory `M` of the IC card `B`. These marksm1 and m2 will be more particularly described below.

FIG. 8 is a process descriptive view illustrating flows of the IC card`B` among a user `U`, the photo processing shop `D` and the laboratory`L`, in which an arrow seen as a solid line denotes a flow of thehardwares (the IC card `B`, the film `F`, the print `P`, the negativefilm `N`) while another arrow seen as a broken line denotes a flow(inputs and outputs) of the data concerning the IC card `B`.

When the user `U` carries out a photographing, the memory `M` of the ICcard `B` stores predetermined information output from the microcomputerMC of the camera `A` including the trimming information, the colortemperature information, the frame number of the film, the number of theprint, the exposure reference information, the date, the time, thevarious photographic information, the information about the size of thephotographed object (referring to the broken line I). If the user `U`owns a terminal device 31 such as the personal computer and an IC cardreader/writer 32 connectable thereto, by using these devices, the user`U` can himself record a developing method, a site of photographing, ashort message and the like in the memory `M` of the IC card `B`(referring to a broken line II). Further, this is possible not only whenrequesting the photo processing shop `D` of the first development andprinting but also when later requesting the shop to do printing.

The user `U` takes the IC card `B` recording the predeterminedinformation in the above way and the film `F` to the photo processingshop `D`.

At the photo processing shop `D`, the IC card `B` is set to the IC cardreader/writer 33 thereby to record additional data such as a receiptnumber, a name and a telephone number of the user into the IC card `B`(referring to a broken line III). In case the user is unable to carryout the process indicated by the broken line II at his/her side, suchinformation, e.g. the size and the number of prints, the necessity andthe contents of special treatment and the like, which used to be writtenon a paper container bag, is recorded in the IC card `B` at the photoprocessing shop `D`. It is to be noted that the IC card reader/writerhas switches corresponding to the respective items on the container bag(i.e. the above informations) and is designed to be easy and convenientto use.

Both the IC card `B` and the film `F` received at the photo processingshop `D` are handed to the laboratory `L`, where the film `F` and the ICcard `B` are set to the developing device and the printer 34 to carryout development and printing based on the information output from the ICcard `B` (referring to a broken line IV), whereby a negative film `N`and prints `P` are obtained.

In this case, information such as the contents of the treatment, thenumber of prints and a reference number is recorded in the IC card `B`(referring to a broken line V). Further, a central computer 35 reads outthe various photographing information from the IC card `B` and processesthe same statistically, and this processed information may beadvantageously utilized to achieve a better photography system(referring to a broken line VI).

The negative film `N`, the print(s) `P` and the IC card `B` recordingthe additional information are returned to the photo processing shop`D`, where the IC card reader/writer 33 reads out the informationrecorded in the IC card `B` and automatically calculates the processingcharge (referring to a broken line VII). If this IC card `B` may be usedas a money card or as a credit card, the user does not have to pay theprocessing charge in cash.

After the IC card `B`, the prints `P` and the negative film `F` arereturned to the user `U` from the photo processing shop `D`, the user`U` is able to read out the photographing information and the processinginformation through the personal computer 31 and the reader/writer 32,and the user `U` is also able to store the above information intocomputer memory means such as a magnetic disk, a magnetic tape, a bubblememory and the like, or is able to record the information in the form ofa hard copy by printing (referring to a broken line VIII). The print(s)`P` is (are) stored in a photo album 37.

Also, for the user `U` who does not own the reader/writer 32, the photoprocessing shop `D` may provide service to give the user `U`, whenreturning the negative film and the prints, a copy on which theinformation recorded in the IC card `B` are printed out at the shop orat the laboratory `L`.

After recording necessary information in the IC card `B` into thecomputer memory means and the like, the user `U` may re-attach the ICcard `B` to the camera `A` and use the same repeatedly.

Alternative processing flows of the IC card `B` shown in FIG. 9 will bedescribed next.

When the user `U` takes the film `F` and the IC card `B` to the photoprocessing shop `D`, at this photo processing shop `D` the data recordedin the IC card `B` are transferred into another recording means `B`designed exclusively for the photo processing shop `D` and for thelaboratory `L` (a data transfer between a solid line IX and a solid lineX). With this, the user `U` does not have to leave the IC card `B` atthe shop, thus the user `U` is able to use this IC card `B` immediatelyfor a next photographing. This is advantageous in that the user `U` neednot own many IC cards.

The other flows shown in FIG. 9, being the same as those shown in FIG.8, share the same reference marks for the same parts and memberstherewith and will not be described.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention,since the IC card `B`, as shown in FIG. 2, is attached to an IC cardattaching portion X1 provided on an inner face of the back lid 13 of thecamera `A`, the predetermined information about all exposed frames ofthe film `F` is recorded in the IC card `B` unless the back lid 13 isunintentionally opened. This is because of the following reasons.

If the IC card `B` is attached outwardly of the camera `A` and is freelyattachable and detachable to and from the camera at any instant, thereis possibility that the IC card `B` is detached from or attached to thecamera `A` in the course of a photographing or a data exchange, or thata different IC card recording the predetermined information about framesof a different film is erroneously attached to the camera `A` therebycausing a confusion in which the film `F` has some frames having the ICcard data and other frames having no IC card data. This results in agreat difficulty in corresponding the respective frames to the IC carddata at the laboratory `L`.

In order to overcome this difficulty, a special measure must be takenwhich causes not only a cost increase but also a problem in designing.

In order to avoid the above inconvenience, according to the presentembodiment, the IC card `B` is attached to the IC card attaching portionX1 provided at the inner side of the back lid 13.

However, there is still a possibility at an introductory stage of thepresent camera system that a film exposed by a camera having no IC carddata recording system and a film exposed by the present camera systemmay be confused with each other at the laboratory `L`. Therefore, thereis a necessity to enable the printer at the laboratory `L` todistinguish this film `F` processed by the present camera system fromother films and to correspond the film `F` to the IC card `B`.

This is the reason why the mark m1 (m2) is imprinted in the film `F`indicating that this film is the film which data are recorded in the ICcard `B`. It is not necessary to imprint this mark in all of the framesof the film `F` since it is possible to correspond the film `F` to theIC card `B` by using the data about the number of times of photographingeven if the mark is imprinted only in the first frame of the film `F`.

This number mark m1 (m2) may be of the numeral type m1 (referring toFIG. 7a) corresponding to the number of exposed frames or may also be ofthe dot type m2 (referring to FIG. 7b) to be imprinted at the firstframe or at all of the frames of the film `F`. However, it is to benoted that the numeral type mark m1 is the more reliable incorresponding the same to the IC card `B`.

Also, though not shown, if a different identification code is input tothe respective IC card `B` and this identification code along with themark is imprinted in the frame(s), it becomes possible to specificallycorrespond one particular IC card `B` to one particular film `F`,whereby the corresponding operation therebetween will be much morereliable.

The identification code for the IC card `B` may be input by the user `U`through the camera `A` or through his/her own reader/writer 32, or theidentification code may be pre-input in a manufacturing process of theIC card `B` such that the user `U` may freely choose a particular codewhen purchasing an IC card `B`.

In the above-described embodiment, the IC card attaching portion X1 isdisposed at the inside portion (between the back lid 13 and the film`F`) of the back lid 13. However, the present invention is not limitedhereto. For example, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 1b, an ICcard attaching portion X2 may be provided in front of the film `F`, oralternately, an IC card attaching portion X3 may be provided inclinedlydownwardly of the attaching portion for the film cartridge 7 in thecamera body 1. With the former arrangement the IC card `B` may bedetached only after the film `F` is unloaded; whereas, with the latterarrangement, like the aforementioned embodiment, the IC card `B` may bedetached without unloading the film `F`. Further, in either case, a RAMchip may be employed as the memory means.

The present invention further discloses the following embodiments:

(i) The IC card `B` need not be of the general type, but may have aconfiguration and a format specially designed for the camera system.Also, the IC card `B` may be of the type incorporating a microcomputer,a battery and a RAM, or may be the EEPROM having no microcomputer norbattery.

(ii) The imprinting of the mark m1 (m2) in the film `F` in theaforementioned embodiment is not always necessary.

(iii) In the aforementioned embodiment, the trimming area may be freelydesignated among a plurality thereof for a single frame, but this is notalways necessary. Further, the information for the laboratory may notnecessarily include the trimming information.

We claim:
 1. A photographic camera comprising:an attaching portionadapted for detachably attaching an information medium includingsemiconductor memory means capable of reading-out/writing-in, a circuitfor communicating data between the semiconductor memory means and thecamera to which the medium is loaded and a data exchange terminal forthe communication data; producing means for producing an informationwhich is used during a process of printing a film exposed by the cameraand for producing the information at every frame of exposure; andoutputting means for outputting said information from the camera to saidmedium for making the semiconductor memory means to memorize saidinformation.
 2. A photographic camera as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid information is a data indicative of a range within a frame to beprinted.
 3. A photographic camera as defined in claim 1, wherein saidinformation is a data indicative of a number of prints to be printed. 4.A photographic camera as defined in claim 1, wherein said information isa data indicative of color temperature of an object to be photographed.5. A photographic camera as defined in claim 4, wherein said data isindicative of color temperature of light source which illuminates theobject to be photographed.
 6. A photographic camera as defined in claim1, further comprising:imprinting means for imprinting a mark in theframe of the film, said mark indicating that the information isoutputted to the medium.
 7. An information medium for use with a camera,comprising:semiconductor memory means capable of reading-out/writing-in,a circuit for communicating data between the semiconductor memory meansand the camera to which the medium is loaded and a data exchangeterminal for the communication of the data; said information mediummemorizing a data which is used during a process of printing of a filmexposed by the camera and is inputted from the camera at every frame ofexposure and outputting the data to a processing machine of printing. 8.An information medium as defined in claim 7, wherein said information isa data indicative of a range within a frame to be printed.
 9. Aninformation medium as defined in claim 7, wherein said information is adata indicative of number of prints to be printed.
 10. An informationmedium as defined in claim 7, wherein said information is a dataindicative of color temperature of an object to be photographed.
 11. Aninformation medium as defined in claim 10, wherein said data isindicative of color temperature of light source which illuminates theobject to be photographed.